We all love our pets. As responsible pet owners, we provide shelter, food, a sense of belonging and safety. This includes regular visits to your veterinarian. Occasionally, the unexpected happens and your pet may require veterinary care to maintain a healthy quality of day-to-day life. Friends of Lilibet provides monetary assistance.

Lilibet was a mi-ki. A 20th century breed of dog which originated in the United States. She was a tiny six pounds with butterfly ears, a white plume of a tail, large limpid brown eyes and a heart of Gold. She and her human, Grace, did everything together. Their mutual love was evident to all who saw them. Their happiness and optimistic attitude was contagious and being near them was a genuine pleasure.

When Lilibet was six years old, we were walking on a beach in Connecticut when two off-leash dogs rushed toward her. One attacked her, causing catastrophic injuries. I wrapped her in my shirt to stop the bleeding and rushed to the nearest veterinarian. She was placed into a coma, and I was advised to take her home to Massachusetts to euthanize her.

Instead, we went straight to an emergency veterinary hospital in Boston, where she was admitted to the ICU. They allowed me to sleep beside her for a week while she fought to survive. Her primary veterinarian worked closely with the emergency team, combining traditional care with supportive therapies such as acupuncture, laser therapy, and Reiki.

After two weeks in the ICU, Lilibet was finally able to come home, but she then required strict confinement in a small playpen for eight weeks during her recovery.

When I went to pay what I expected to be a significant bill, I was told that kind-hearted Mi-ki owners from across the country had called in donations. Her medical expenses had been paid — in full!

Lilibet went on to enjoy five more wonderful years of a quality, joyful, adventerous life. When she passed in 2019, I channeled my grief into creating Friends of Lilibet, so that other families might receive the same unexpected kindness and support.

The Friends of Lilibet seeks to carry on this spirit of goodness by helping people and their pets.